No. 18 Men’s Water Polo Tops Austin College in Historic Texas Game, 16-4

Saturday, September 15

Sherman, TX

4:00 PM ET

Brown University

Austin College

No. 18 Men’s Water Polo Tops Austin College in Historic Texas Game, 16-4

9/15/2018 8:41:00 PM | Men's Water Polo

Austin Results

SHERMAN, Texas – Sophomore Aidan Reilly and freshman Gabe Kaplan each netted a hat trick as No. 18 Brown University men's water polo defeated Austin College, 16-4, on Saturday afternoon at Hannah Natatorium in the first NCAA men's varsity water polo game played in the state of Texas in 40 years.

The Bears (6-5) led 8-3 at halftime and 12-3 through three quarters en route to their win over the host Kangaroos (0-5) – a program which began its first season of varsity play this year. Austin became the first varsity program in the Lone Star State since Texas A&M dissolved its program after the 1978 season.

Kaplan (Santa Monica, Calif.) added four steals to his three goals while Reilly (Los Angeles, Calif.) tacked on two steals to his three tallies. Junior Will Collier (Darien, Conn.) tallied two goals and four steals, and classmate Armen Deirmenjian (Beverly Hills, Calif.) totaled two goals, two assists, and two steals.

Sophomore Adam Fuller (Santa Barbara, Calif.) posted a goal and four steals, and sophomore Daniel Hu (Colleyville, Texas) notched a goal, three assists, and two steals. Junior Hudson Rawlings (Murrieta, Calif.) and freshman Niko Bhatia (Los Altos, Calif.), Andrew Penner (Atherton, Calif.), and Matt Simko (Coral Gables, Fla.) each netted one goal with Penner drawing a team-high four ejections.

Junior Galen Hu (Colleyville, Texas) chipped in two assists and two steals. The Bears totaled 24 steals as a team.

Freshman goalkeeper Ugo Piovan (Vouliagmeni, Greece) made seven saves, and sophomore net-minder Riad Hallal (Coronado, Calif.) stopped three shots as the duo split time in the cage.

Collier and Fuller scored Brown's first two goals as the two sides remained tied at 2-2 early in the first quarter. Deirmenjian, Bhatia, and Penner closed the opening frame's scoring, in order, as Brown led 5-2 after one.

The Bears moved ahead 8-2 in the second quarter as Reilly netted a pair of goals and Rawlings found the back of the net. Brown remained ahead 8-3 at halftime.

Brown scored all four of the third quarter's goals with Simko opening the frame's scoring before Reilly converted a 5-meter penalty shot. Deirmenjian and Kaplan charted the stanza's last two goals.

Collier put the Bears ahead 13-3 early in the fourth quarter before Austin's final goal of the game cut the margin to 13-4. Kaplan responded with a pair of goals before Daniel Hu concluded the contest's scoring.

The Bears improved to 2-0 on the year against Austin as Brown topped the Kangaroos, 16-7, on Sept. 1 in Providence, R.I.

Next, Brown meets Austin again tomorrow, Sunday, Sept. 16, at 2:45 p.m. ET. The Bears will also play Dallas Masters on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. ET in an exhibition contest. Both games will take place at Southern Methodist University.

Brown 16, Austin 4
Brown....................... 5…3…4…4…16
Austin........................ 2…1…0…1…4
Brown Goals: Kaplan 3, Reilly 3, Collier 2, Deirmenjian 2, Bhatia, D. Hu, Fuller, Penner, Rawlings, Simko.
Brown Saves: Piovan 7, Hallal 3.